You currently have javascript disabled. Several functions may not work. Please re-enable javascript to access full functionality.

Register a free account to unlock additional features at BleepingComputer.com

Welcome to BleepingComputer, a free community where people like yourself come together to discuss and learn how to use their computers. Using the site is easy and fun. As a guest, you can browse and view the various discussions in the forums, but can not create a new topic or reply to an existing one unless you are logged in. Other benefits of registering an account are subscribing to topics and forums, creating a blog, and having no ads shown anywhere on the site.

Notice: This applies only to Windows 7 and Windows 8, earlier versions do not have this.

1. Place a blank CD or DVD in the tray of your optical drive and close the tray.

2. After you have downloaded the ISO image you want to burn right click on the Start orb, then choose Windows Explorer.

3. When Explorer opens click on Downloads in the left pane. Scroll down till you find the ISO file you want and double click on it. Click on Burn Disk Image.

4. In the image below you will see Disk burner:, this should be set to the optical drive you want to use. Click on Verify disc after burning if you want to Windows to verity the disc image after burn. Click on burn.

5. In the image below you can see that the green progress bar, when the image is finished burning the bar will be filled.

I have had an exceptional amount of luck with Lubuntu on several older computers. I know that Ubuntu has started to consider discontinuing the 32 bit series. However with Lubuntu being designed for older computers, it could be worth a look. It has been really easy to pick up and work with for me.

Currently for me this is a learning experience, I'm curious. And I get to use a computer I bought back in late 2004. I can't believe it still works.

No reason why it shouldn't work, TBH. I currently triple-boot with 3 32-bit Puppies on an even older 2002/3 Dell Inspiron 1100 laptop. It's been pretty well overhauled & upgraded in recent years, but it's still doing what it's always done; being useful and productive.

I won't say I'd recommend it to just anyone; Puppy has its quirks, and does take a wee bit of getting used to, but.....it's always been targeted at ex-Windows users (since it's full of 'wizards' and 'tooltips' galore to guide you through everything), and the Forums:-

...are very 'user-friendly' and extremely helpful. No-one gets made to feel like a 'noob' for asking silly questions. It's also extremely fast, since the entire thing loads into, and runs in RAM.....and you've got plenty of RAM there for Puppy to run, & jump, & play in. I'd say it's definitely worth a look:-

The current, 32-bit version of 'Tahrpup' (6.05), is based on the binary code from the Ubuntu LTS release, 'Trusty Tahr' 14.04 LTS (which is supported until April 2019), and has access to the huge Ubuntu software repositories besides. Thoroughly recommended, and you should have no problems running it on your hardware..

After I get it installed, probably Saturday or Sunday. I'll post any questions I have. Thanks again everyone

Please do, we would love to hear if you got-er going? In fact don't hesitate to ask about the install before you dive in.

I can only assume you are Installing Over Windows 7? unless the Drive is bigger than online reports for that pc. Most I see are reporting a little faster CPU than you did, maybe it is not US Version: Pentium M 740 1.73GHz/40GB/512MB

After I get it installed, probably Saturday or Sunday. I'll post any questions I have. Thanks again everyone

Please do, we would love to hear if you got-er going? In fact don't hesitate to ask about the install before you dive in.

I can only assume you are Installing Over Windows 7? unless the Drive is bigger than online reports for that pc. Most I see are reporting a little faster CPU than you did, maybe it is not US Version: Pentium M 740 1.73GHz/40GB/512MB

If it really ran well on W7, then as VT suggested, Mint Mate would also be a good choice, but Xfce will leave you with a little more left over for other stuff with it's power saving attributes.

I'll boot it up later and double check, but I'm pretty sure the processor is a Pentium M 730. The RAM was originally 512Mb. I upgraded it to 2Gb a couple of years later.

Windows 7 was installed only to see if it would run it and it actually runs decent in the Dell. Not great but OK. I actually forgot about that old computer, just found it in the back of the closet a couple of days ago. When I first plugged it in the battery light was blinking orange which meant that the battery was bad. But it hasn't been plugged in for 5 to 6 years. Left it plugged in for a few hours and went to check on it and the battery light was green.

I did download Mint Mate and I did burn it to a DVD a couple of hours ago. Yes, I intend to format the HD before I install Mint Mate. I also need to check the HD, it either has the original 40GB or an 80GB, I don't remember which.